Whipple’s Disease

Whipple’s disease is a rare bacterial infection. The disease is called Whipple after George Whipple who discovered the bacteria in the year 1907. The disease targets the digestive tract and the joints but it can cause infection in other parts as well like the brain, heart and the eyes. It is found that 87% of people who are infected are men and the disease happens likely in people in the age group of 40-60 years. According to a report to has been funding Whipple’s disease is common to children in developed countries who live in areas with a lack of proper sanitation.

Symptoms of Whipple’s Disease

Symptoms of the disease vary among patients but some of the common symptoms are as follows -:

The most common symptom is diarrhoea and weight loss

1. Stomach pain and cramping 
2. Severe pain after meals in the stomach
3. Fatigue
4. Anaemia
5. Darkening of skin exposed to the sun 
6. Weakness
7. Endocarditis leads to breathlessness and swelling in the feet due to fluid build-up. Further, the inflammation of the heart causes impairment in its pumping function
8. Whipple’s disease can spread to the central nervous system and cause problems such as insomnia, hearing loss, facial numbness, dementia, difficulty in walking, and uveitis
9. Weight loss due to malabsorption of food 
10. Inflammation in joints, ankles and knees
11. Fever 
12. Cough
13. Enlarged lymph nodes

Causes of Whipple’s Disease

Whipple’s disease is caused by the bacteria Tropheryma whipplei. The bacteria first invade the mucosal lining of the small intestine forming sores or lesions within the wall of the small intestine. Additionally, it also damages the finger-like projections of the villi in the lining. Though the infection starts in the small intestine it can spread to brains, eyes, joints and lungs. Also, it has been found that the individuals that develop the disease have impaired ability of protein breakdown.

Risk factors of Whipple’s Disease

Some of the risk factors of Whipple’s disease are -:

1. Men between the age of 40-60 years
2. People having contact with sewage and wastewater like farmers 
3. Whit people in North America and Europe

Complications 

Whipple’s disease affects the small intestine and causes extensive damage to the finger-like projections in the villi that play a crucial role in the absorption of nutrients n the body but due to destruction, these nutrients are impaired leading to weight loss, and nutrient deficiencies, fatigue and anaemia in the affected individuals. 

It is a progressive disease and can be fatal in cases where the diagnosis is delayed and further delaying the treatment. Death is a result of the spread of the disease to the central nervous system which results in irreversible changes.

Conclusion

Whipple’s disease is a rare bacterial infection. The disease is called Whipple after George Whipple who discovered the bacteria in the year 1907. The disease targets the digestive tract and the joints but it can cause infection in other parts as well like the brain, heart and the eyes. The most common symptom is diarrhoea and weight loss and other symptoms include – Stomach pain and cramping, Severe pain after meals in the stomach, Fatigue, Anaemia, darkening of skin exposed to sun, Weakness, Endocarditis leading to breathlessness and swelling in feet due to fluid build-up. Furthermore, the inflammation of the heart causes impairment in the pumping function. The cause of Whipple’s disease is the bacteria Tropheryma whipplei, the bacteria attack the mucosal lining causing sores and also causing damage to the finger-like projections of the villi within the small intestine.